Final Posting from 17 Arellano

I turn in my Comcast modem and TV box today. So no more internet connection from this address.

I'll be gone half the day refreshing my packing supplies, getting more street "obstruction" signs and picking up my mammography films for my medical records.

I still don't know how to pack lamp shades. Tuesday night I'll have to go to bed with the chickens or read by the only two ceiling lights (kitchen and bathroom).

There should be wi-fi along the way north. Otherwise, next stop is Vancouver, WA.

It was there all along ....

This weekend my cousin Sallie delivered her father's (my uncle's) electric bike as my moving / new home gift.

But alas, the key to the storage locker is not in its usual place.



We looked high and low. My already fried nerves were in no condition for this setback. (Fantasies of my storage locker raided and my bike stolen could not be indulged.)

We stored the bike in the living room.



And I popped half an Adavan --- to no effect actually --- only slight drowsiness.



Sallie drove us to Aptos to visit her mom. When I returned on Sunday, I moved something and what do I see but the key just outside the dish it should have been in.



All is well that ends well. My friend Rita offered to come help me this evening. I've hired professional packers to help with the final push on Tuesday.

This is the dirty, messy, bone-tired final push.

The Desk is Gone!

I got the call at 11:15 -- they'd be here at noon. I made a mad dash to COMPLETELY empty the stairwell and move EVERYTHING out of the entryway. Then of course, there was disconnecting all the computer cables, phone, speakers, monitor, etc.

I have to say, when folks have the right tools and muscle -- it looks so easy. They popped the desk onto a flat dolly and wheeled it right to the front door.



It was a slam dunk. Took less than 15 minutes.



In the rush of the moment I forgot to check that the drawers were empty. Oh well! Now it's just a matter of cleaning up what's left behind.

Moving Right Along....

My 4' x 6' wall mirror was taken away this morning. I didn't have the heart to photograph the event. The shipper (crusty, nicotine-infused, 50-something) hired a "day laborer" off the street and kept referring to him as "amigo". He was a sweet young man with good English.

Ok, so as they're going down my stairs, (I couldn't look) the expletives were flying. Not exactly vulgarity, more along the lines of "Watch it!! .. Where are you going? .. I know it's heavy! .. UP! UP! .. How ya' doing, amigo?"

When asked, I was informed they didn't transport large pieces of glass very often. *gulp* But all is well that ends well. No breakage while they were here.

I have a taker for the desk! Actually, I have three takers. It will be taken away tomorrow afternoon, for a $50 fee.

Salvaged!

This was a major scuz job! Over 100 feet of hose had been coiled in a rubber trash can for the past 10 or more years. (The gardener in me refusing to give up hope of one day having a garden in my life again.)

The lid had blown off and it had filled with water and debris. Major slimy scuz!

I took everything out, disconnected the three hoses and one by one drug the lid and trash can followed by the three hoses upstairs into the bathtub and cleaned them just like carrots.



Then I coiled the hoses independently in neat circles and stored them back in the now clean and dry trash can -- ready for transport.

Does Anyone Want This Desk?

This is a beautiful desk -- but I can't get rid of it!



I've had it since I was a teenager - over 40 years ago. It measures 33" deep by 54" wide. Turns out all the used furniture stores have a 48" limit to the width. They won't even take it if I pay to have it shipped to them.



Folks in San Francisco live in apartments and don't want large pieces. It'll cost me close to $100 just to have it shipped to the dump! I hate to chop it up. The top surface is 1" solid oak.

Snafu's

If it can break ....



For starters, there was a power outage the night Obama made his courageous speech. My stereo receiver whistled as the power flicked on and off. The next day -- nada! A trip to Sound Well in Berkeley was inconclusive. Would cost nearly as much as the purchase price to repair it - maybe.

I haven't been able to sell the things I didn't want to take up to Washington (couch, coffee table, desk, bookcases, mirror, etc.) So the mirror will be crated (for $200+) and the desk....



I've gotten 4 nibbles on Craig's List but no takers. If Goodwill or The Arc won't pick it up, I'll have to pay some $100 just to cart it away. It's a beautiful desk, but it literally won't fit in my new home.

To secure parking for the moving van, one gets an "obstruction permit" -- not from Parking and Transportation, as one might expect -- but from the police department. The application form is very poorly written. To make a long story short, I paid the wrong amount (with a cashier's check no less) So that has to be done over again.

I'm out of packing materials. I keep finding stuff I had tucked away. (arghhh!) So yet another trip to the dump is in order.

And the more I pack the more I discover yet to pack -- no matter how fast I fill up Goodwill bags. Only 5 packing days left (a doctor's appointment and visits to friends will take up the other days). Better get packing.